It's the 1st April on Sunday (where did March go?). Traditionally it's a day of jokes and foolishness. We can't help getting carried away by giving you 25% off everything in the boutique (except clothing).

Thursday, 22 March 2012

Enter the magical world of enchanted forests and castles, fairies and the beautiful princess Aurora in My First Sleeping Beauty. The ballet dancer turned award winning choreographer Mathew Hart has created a ballet to be experienced for young children. Featuring graduating dancers from the English National Ballet School this is a great first ballet for children aged 3 years and upwards and their families.

Whilst the story stays true to the original Sleeping Beauty and still uses the magic of Tchaikovsky's music you may also recognise Disney's Once Upon A Dream. Mathew Hart takes a classic, keeps it a classic but makes it accessible to all. Perhaps one day when seeing the full version of Sleeping Beauty performed by the English National Ballet children may recognise some of the choreography from their First Sleeping Beauty.

If the idea of a long ballet has previously put you off taking children have no fear with My first Sleeping Beauty. The audience is invited to come along dressed up, to boo the baddies and sing along too.

Relive the magic of the big screen in this live cinema homage to the fantastic late 1920's styled film presented by Future Cinema at the Troxy. With a weekend matinee of the performance to include dancing, singing, flapper dresses and gangsters galore and a whole lot of custard pies and splurge guns this looks set to be a great family experience not to be missed.

This one of our favourite films when were kids, singing all the songs, swooning over Busgy and learning all the dance moves from the girls at Fat Sams. I would have loved this as a child and I'm going to love it even more with my own children.

We are so spoiled here in London with the incredible amount of museums and galleries that are on offer and our children are lucky enough to experience them too, Free. With free entry and great free activities on offer, museums are no longer the dust filled bore of school trips but rather fun explorations into other worlds, countires, time and colour, design and art.

This is part of 'The Art of Living' collection. We also have other stories and features including our 'Monday Makery', 'I Spy' and our weekly 'Wedesday Woo'.
If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter to receive offers and news and find out the about our new collections sign up below.

This is part of our Wednesday Woo collection. We also have other stories and features including our 'Monday Makery', 'I Spy' and 'The art of living'.
If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter to receive offers and news and find out the about our new collections sign up below.

Tuesday, 20 March 2012

We've been waiting for these for what seems like a very excited for ever. Already huge fans of Miller Goodman's wonderfully imaginative and creative toys these are the latest edition to their range of rubberwood block sets. Miller Goodman clearly have a great understanding of shape and colour and already have us hooked on their previous rubberwood block toys with their PlayShapes and ShapeMaker.

We've been playing with them this morning and haven't got much work done since.

They are completely addictive, utterly brilliant and imaginative. A must for children and adults alike - they really are set to be an enduring design classic.

So, explore your creativity and discover thousands of unique faces to be made with these 25 wooden blocks. Will you make the cowboy, the queen or a character only you can imagine? These environmentally-friendly, hand printed blocks are loads of fun and whatever your age you’ll be inspired to play.

My sister and I have been having a bit of romance with Rob Ryan's work for some time now. His pensive, wistful and dream-like screen and laser-cut prints make the heart flutter, reading like a mantra that lets you inhale the beautiful, sometimes mysterious words and carry them with you.

So when I discovered 'The Gift', a book written by Carol Ann Duffy, a story adorned and reiterated through the wonderful art of Rob Ryan's illustrations I knew it was a book which just like Ryan's art I'd like to share with my daughters.

The story journeys through the life of a young girl and her desires and wishes that mould it. Beautifully and just as delicately as the illustrations are made The Gift interprets the circle of life, looking into the balance of love, birth, death and the importance of friendships and families. Its fairy-tale style resonates with the innocence and purity of life itself.

Seen through the eyes of a girl as the years pass it has a magical yet sombre charm that expresses the mysteries that lie at the heart of the human experience. Exploring universal truths in an honest and approachable manner the story presents a difficult theme in an accessible way that will speak to anyone of any age who has ever wondered about the mysteries that our lives ensue.

I cannot imagine the book being able to speak so beautifully without the resonance of Ryan's illustrations. For younger children especially, words may wash over them but the images remain and are journeyed into.

I have always been taught to never judge a book by its cover however this is one time when you can - quite literally. The Gift is just that. A gift that can be shared with and by all.

The Gift is available from here and here and here and most bookshops on the highstreet.

This is part of our new 'I Spy' blog features where we bring you a view of something we've fallen in love with. We also have our Monday Makery with ideas for things to make, bake and create.
Our other popular blogposts include 'The story behind our collections', 'Tell us its Tuesday' , An A-Z of Sisters Guild, a collection of images that depict the words we feel celebrate all that is Sisters Guild. The Art of Living posts bring you all the things and places we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas, and our 'Once upon a week' gives you a glimpse into life behind the scenes at Sisters Guild.
If you would like to contribute to our blog by guest blogging a makery or a place or event of interest please do contact us we'd love to share your voice too.

Monday, 19 March 2012

Easter Sunday is a beautfiul chance to get the family gathered together to celebrate spring. Easter Sunday - 8th March- is less than 3 weeks away and so we have been busy bringing a little Spring cheer into the house. We made these woolen wrapped eggs last year but when I went to pull them out of our Easter box they were a little worse for wear. We wanted to make them again only a little tougher so they could be tossed about and rough handled by little hands and used in Easter games. So rather than as we did previously make them using real eggs we've got a batch of polystyrene eggs which will be strong enough to last year upon year.

Use them for colourful egg and spoon races, decorating the table, hide them in garden to be discovered and collected or play a silly game of boules and see who can roll them for the closest to a prize.

Here's what you'll need:

Polystyrene eggs

wool

PVA glue

paintbrush

scissors

An eggcup

Here's how:

Take your polystyrene egg and put it into an egg cup to keep it from rolling away.

Take one end of the wool from a ball of string and unravel it so you have a good length to play with. You'll need to keep unraveling the ball later a little as you go.

Using the paintbrush paint a little glue over the top of your egg, take the end of your wool and start to coil it quite snuggly around the top of the egg. This is the trickiest part so you may need to help youger hands to get it right.

Keep on wrapping the wool around the egg brushing on more PVA glue as you go. If it starts to slide a little brush some glue onto your wool to wet it down and help it to adhere a little more.

Once you've finished snip of the end of the wool as close to the egg as you can and leave to dry.

You can decorate them by adding swirls and patterns of wool, ric-rac, sequins and whatever else you'd like to embellish them with. Use as many colours as you can or coordinate them to suit the table decorations.

Thursday, 15 March 2012

Threesixty Theatre presents 'The Lion the witch and the wardrobe' in Kensington Gardens.

It may not have begun, there are yet to be reviews but tickets are on sale now and they are sure to sell out quickly. We missed the production of Peter Pan that was the previous smash hit in Kensington Gardens so we're not going to miss this one!

This looks set to be the theatrical masterpiece, the most memorable theatre trip of the year. If you're lucky enough to pick a day to see it when the weather is good there's the added bonus of a picnic in the park too.

Adapted for the stage by award-winning director Rupert Goold and directed by Rupert Goold and Michael Fentiman.

Its a classic story loved by children of all ages and all now being told within a truely magnificent setting. The Lion the witch and the wardrobe will open its doors for a magical adventure this summer. We've got our tickets and now we might re-read the book as the excitement builds up!

Battersea Affordable Art Fair (AAF) is an annual event held in Battersea park which sees 120 art galleries exhibiting art from £40 -£4000. This is a fun free family day out and even the family dog is welcome. There'll be lots to see and perhaps you'll come away with a new piece of art you can all chose together.

There are activities held for children with complimentary art packs and workshops you can pop along to.

Its time for the green parade, so get your green colours out and join the hootenanny. Beginning at noon the parade will see floats, marching bands and music parade from Green Park to Trafalgar Square where the celebrations will continue with dance, delicious Irish food, crafts and performances. Its a great free, fun family day out.

This is part of 'The Art of Living' collection. We also have other stories and features including our 'Monday Makery', 'I Spy' and our weekly 'Wedesday Woo'.
If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter to receive offers and news and find out the about our new collections sign up below.

Be sure not to miss out on special offers and more craft ideas and sign up below to our weekly newsletter

This is part of our Wednesday Woo collection. We also have other stories and features including our 'Monday Makery', 'I Spy' and 'The art of living'.
If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter to receive offers and news and find out the about our new collections sign up below.

Monday, 12 March 2012

Perhaps I'm a little obsessed with good storage and pretty ways to keep things tidy and organised but I have had a huge amount of empty storage jars begging for a project. I knew I wanted bright colours and they would have to be fun. Fun enough to encourage the girls to want to be tidy at least.

So with some plastic animals that were on their way to the charity shop, some spay paint and a collection of screw top jars we will no longer be hunting for the missing dice, my cotton threads have never looked so tempting and all those 'little-bits-that-you-can-never-find-but-are-oh-so-important' now have a great new home.

Here's what you'll need:

Screw top jars - jam jars are perfect

spray paint

miniature animals and toys

super glue

Here's how:

Begin by cleaning the jars and chosen animals.

Fix the animals onto the jar lids with strong glue

Once the glue is dried - we left ours overnight to adhere firmly - get spraying.

Leave to dry.

Fill with pencils, crayons, pencils, small toys or even use in the kitchen for sugar and rice and all things nice!

I'm on the search now for some larger jars so i can keep pasta and cereals in this way too. If I can find some good plastic screw top jars I'll be using then as a alternative to party bags for kids parties too.

Now i'm addicted to quick and easy fix of spray painting things to change their look instantly I'm looking around for more things I can 'update' and make 'new' ...........

Oh and if you're in need of a peg rail for bags and coats take a look here ....who knew plastic animals could have such versatility!

Friday, 9 March 2012

We love the soft gentle hues that Hucklebones bring. The Spring Summer collection is in bloom with waterlilies and wisteria and periwinkle. Abound with Saclloped hems, silk linings, big bows, pleated bodice's and flutter sleeves the detail is well considered and impeccably created.

Each new season brings a new born print designed in house, bestowing a uniqueness, a fresh breeze which alongside its graceful tailoring upholds the integrity and innocence of childhood.

British design at its best, Hucklebones is a refined, quintessentially English, pretty, delicate and perfectly polished label 'created to inspire the design conscious' and destined to become a signiature style of the new blossoming generation.

Each collection see's admiration from across the globe and is frequently pictured in Junior Magazine, Milk, Harpers Bazaar and Vogue, talked about in the telegraph Magazine, Bambino Goodies, baby London and so many more. I have a feeling that when my daughters become mothers themselves it's the Hucklebones pieces that will be pulled out of the vintage suitcases for their own daughters to wear and love. Because with great design comes longevity.

We are so very proud to bring together the collection here at Sisters Guild and hope you all enjoy it as much as the daughters of Sisters Guild do, growing up alongside their marvellous creations.

Thursday, 8 March 2012

As you go about your busy days in London look out for some pretty impressive decorated eggs hidden around the capital. An incredible egg hunt is taking place running until 3rd April and everyone is invited to discover and see over 200 painted and decoarted egg sculptures here in London.

The incredibly decadent, legendary jewellery brand Faberge have invited artists and designers, architects and jewellers to design a collection of 2.5ft tall eggs that have now been spread accross the capital. This fun and creative initiative is all done in support of the charities Elephant Family and Action for Children. The Big Egg Hunt hopes to raise more than £2 million for the charities and we applaud the concept with excited children in tow ready to go on the hunt!

You could be in the running to win a the Diamond Jubilee Egg just by texting the 'key word' at the egg you find. The more eggs you find, the more chances you have at winning. But, that's not all, if you've enough pennies in the bank you can bid on 'Le Collier Plume D'Or, or bid on one of the unique eggs from the hunt!

This is set to be a record breaking egg hunt and no matter how you chose to take part its an egg hunt too good to miss.

So, grab your maps and get hunting and help raise money for two very worthy charities in the process.

This is part of 'The Art of Living' collection. We also have other stories and features including our 'Monday Makery', 'I Spy' and our weekly 'Wedesday Woo'.
If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter to receive offers and news and find out the about our new collections sign up below.

This is part of our Wednesday Woo collection. We also have other stories and features including our 'Monday Makery', 'I Spy' and 'The art of living'.
If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter to receive offers and news and find out the about our new collections sign up below.

Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Herve Tullet is an award winning illustrator, artist and author who has a wonderful ability to make pictures speak. He has a bright and colourful bibliography that includes 'Press here', 'The book with a hole', 'The game of light' and 'The scribble book'. His pictures speak through their lines, their sensations and their colour. Giving an element of surprise his books playfully and colourfully encourage the reader to unlock their creativity and to lose their inhibitions. They encourage the reader to bend the rules, cross the boundaries they may already know and experiment by themselves their own ideas and creativity.

Tullet once said 'I always wanted to do books for the babies. Maybe I think babies are most able to understand. Because they know nothing so, they know everything.' This idea of leaving behind what you already know to go on a journey into countless possibilities is the charm and excitement of Herve Tullet's work.

We have enjoyed most, if not all, of the books that Tullet has shared and when we visited the Tate Modern gift shop Sophia discovered something new! Happy to part with her pocket money savings we came home with what has since become our favourite family game. We are all enjoying the magic of Herve Tullet and can't wait to discover more of his wonderful books and games.

'Artist'ik' is a game which combines Herve Tullets art and Djeco's joyous games. The box contains hours of fun firing the imagination and creativity and is brilliantly funny. There is no 'winning' or 'losing' just creative fun.

The set comes with 16 different free form shapes which you use as a template to draw the beginning of your character. Then you role the dice to discover how many eyes you need to add, how many noses, ears, mouths, arms, legs and hair! The result is hilarious and each time its so very different.

If Herve Tullet's books had sounds they would explode with the sound of all the delight and vibration of colour. Full of laughter intermixed with wow's of wonderment and excited aah's Herve Tullet's game 'artist'ik' has the exact same magic as his books and if you know us you know we love creativity and magic.

So go, grab yourself some Herve Tullet books and games and cross the boundaries to discover your own creativity.

We discovered 'Artist'ik at the Tate gift shop, though I can't yet see it on their online shop, you could try 'my small world' .

This is part of our new 'I Spy' blog features where we bring you a view of something we've fallen in love with. We also have our Monday Makery with ideas for things to make, bake and create.
Our other popular blogposts include 'The story behind our collections', 'Tell us its Tuesday' , An A-Z of Sisters Guild, a collection of images that depict the words we feel celebrate all that is Sisters Guild. The Art of Living posts bring you all the things and places we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas, and our 'Once upon a week' gives you a glimpse into life behind the scenes at Sisters Guild.
If you would like to contribute to our blog by guest blogging a makery or a place or event of interest please do contact us we'd love to share your voice too.

Monday, 5 March 2012

Mothers day is just around the corner now. It is a time when we say 'thank you for all the things you do both big and small.'

I remember making 'perfume' with a mix of water and flower petals. A potion that soon went brown but was received with the biggest smile and squeals of delight from my own mother. I remember too the badges we made, the decorated margarine pots optimistically called 'jewellery boxes' and the breakfasts-in-bed consisting of cornflakes, marmalade toast and lukewarm tea. We all loved that feeling of tiptoeing into her bedroom, tray in hand with our assortment of mum inspired presents. We would climb onto the bed and watch as she unwrapped each personal gift and feel so proud.

Here we make delicate charms threaded onto coloured embroidery floss. Their simplicity is what makes them so beautiful and of course they're easy to create and perfect for the craft-a-phobic. So pass this on to your partner for a great mothers day gift or make them with your children for your own mother.

Take your block of Fimo and taking a little pinch off mould it into a chubby triangle. Then triangle mould it into a heart shape.

Take your needle and push through the side of your heart giving it a wriggle to make a wide 'threading' hole.

Once you're happy with your charms place them on a foil lined baking tray and put into the oven 110C for a maximum of 30 mins

Remove from the oven and let them cool until they're room temperature. They won't harden completely until they have cooled.

Thread the needle with your embroidery floss and thread on your charm. Pull one end of the thread to meet the desired length of your bracelet so as to create double the thread.

Tie a knot in one end. Knotting both strands of the floss together. Cut the thread at the needle end and tie another knot.

Your heart is now ready to wear, ready to give away and ready to be enjoyed.

We'll wear each others hearts and they will journey with us.

Of course any shape or bead design would be beautiful but these were what the girls wanted to make. We did also attempt stars and clouds in yellow and blue to make bracelets for friends - though a trickier shape to get right they were delighted with them too. These charms would make great birthday gifts too and wonderful to put into party bags. You could give them a personal touch by making each bead into a initial. Just remember to keep the charm small as Fimo is quite heavy and carrying a heavy heart is no so nice!

Friday, 2 March 2012

So, despite the fact that your washing machine has been in constant use for the past 3 days, the laundry pile is still as tall you. Your youngest is still not sleeping through the night even though theoretically she should be, and there's no amount of concealer that can disguise it. Your morning beauty regime consists of washing your face whilst answering an onslaught of questions that seem to begin upon waking even though your own head isn't switched on until your first slurps of morning caffeine have kicked in, and applying mascara whilst getting the breakfast ready before the school run. Which seems to be all you do - as though you're on a yo-yo! You wear whats easiest to find and the days of trying on countless outfits before leaving the door have long gone, despite the fact you swore they never would. The beautiful shoes (mainly high heeled) that you once drawled over, the ones that became the lust haves you saved for are now teetering on the edge of the children's dressing up box and 'practical' flats are the norm. Your hair hasn't been washed and brushed simultaneously in days and the stylish-messy-side-ponytail that's now in vogue is already a bore. Your childrens social life has now taken over yours and the last romantic meal you had was a sandwich from pret-a-porter whilst the children slept in the buggy. Despite the fact you do occasionally get forgotten in the whirlwind of everyday life as mum. Would you ever change it?

Not now. Not ever. Not in a million years.

Of all the things you once were, you are still, only now you are so much more. You are a mother. Your heart journeys with your children and there is nothing in the world more wonderful, more beautiful more satisfying than that!

This is part of our 'once upon a week' collection. We also have other stories and features including our 'Monday Makery', 'I Spy' , 'The Art of Living', and our weekly 'Wedesday Woo'.
If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter to receive offers and news and find out the about our new collections sign up below.

Thursday, 1 March 2012

We are lucky enough to live and enjoy London and for those of you who are close enough to the Tate Modern here in London we highly recommend Yayoi Kusama's exhibition.

We have gone dotty for Kusama's exhibition. Using a variety of media including painting, sculpture, film, and drawing. The exhibition takes in the largest showcase of her work ever seen in the UK and its a must for both fans and those new to Kusama's art.

Sophia was fascinated by the installations and with 14 rooms to explore, map in hand, we absorbed and marveled each piece.

I left the 'obliteration room' as a surprise and wow what a surprise it was! An interactive room designed for children it was wonderful to be able to go crazy creative. Given a sheet of spotty stickers that can be placed anywhere in the room.

picture Mark Sherwood/Natasha Harth/Rex Features

The obliteration room began as a blank canvas. Furnished as a monochrome sitting room. Everything in the room began as white. The room has since transformed itself into an explosion of colour. With children and families leaving their spots on every surface, Yayoi Kusama's philosphy of 'self obliteration' can be experienced and the fascination with dots enjoyed by everyone.

Visit the Tate's website here for opening times. Tickets to Yayoi Kusma exhibition costs £10 per adult. Children under 12 go free. The Obliteration room is free to all.

We're going back again this weekend!

This is part of 'The Art of Living' collection. We also have other stories and features including our 'Monday Makery', 'I Spy' and our weekly 'Wedesday Woo'.
If you'd like to receive our weekly newsletter to receive offers and news and find out the about our new collections sign up below.